Innovation
From Herzliya to Sydney: the robotics team that refused to stay home
A group of 15-year-olds from Handasaim High School in Herzliya won Israel’s national robotics championship, then raised the money themselves to represent Israel on the world stage.
Last season, a team of ninth graders from Handasaim High School in Herzliya pulled off something remarkable. After months of designing, coding, and testing their robot late into the evening, they took first place at Israel’s FIRST LEGO League national championship. The prize was an invitation to the FIRST LEGO League Asia Pacific Open Championship in Sydney, Australia, where they would compete against teams from around the world.
When you ask for help with conviction, people show up.
Then came the hard part. There was no budget for the trip. Neither the school nor the Herzliya municipality funded it. These teenagers had just earned a place among the best young engineers in the world, and it looked like their story might end there.
Knocking on doors
It didn’t. The students and their parents treated the problem the way they had learned to treat every engineering challenge: break it down, then solve it one piece at a time. They wrote to companies, called family friends, pitched business owners, and explained what the trip really meant. It was a chance to show the world what young Israelis can build.
Joey Low was the first to step up in a big way. He became the team’s largest sponsor, and he gave more than money. He opened doors, made introductions, and brought other supporters into the effort. One sponsor at a time, the gap closed, and the team booked its flights.
Israel, in the room
In July 2026, the team landed in Sydney with Israeli flags on their shirts. Over a week of competition, they presented their robot and their research project alongside teams from across the globe. The Sydney Jewish community welcomed them like family.
Some of the most meaningful moments happened between rounds. Israeli kids swapped pins and stickers with teams from other countries, compared code, and answered curious questions about where they come from and what life in Israel is really like. At a time when much of the world sees Israel only through headlines, a group of curious, funny, brilliant 15-year-olds showed another side of the country.
Why it worked
Nobody handed this team a trip to Australia. They earned the invitation, and then they earned the journey. Along the way they learned something no competition can score: when you ask for help with conviction, people show up. Thanks to Joey and every partner who believed in them, Israel had a seat at the table in Sydney, and it was filled with pride.
